When the seeds of two rice cvs. Malviya-36 and Pant-12 were germinated up to 120 h in the presence of 200 and 400 μM NiSO4, a significant reduction in the germination of seeds occurred. Seeds germinating in the presence of 400 μM NiSO4 showed about 12–20% decline in germination percent, about 20–53% decline in lengths and about 8–34% decline in fresh weights of roots and shoots at 120 h of germination. Ni2+ exposure of germinating seeds resulted in apparent increased levels of RNA, soluble proteins, and free amino acids in endosperms as well as embryo axes. A 400 μM Ni2 + treatment led to about 58–101% increase in the level of soluble proteins and about 39–107% increase in the level of free amino acids in embryo axes at 96 h of germination. Activities of ribonuclease and protease declined significantly with increasing levels of Ni2+ treatment. Isoenzyme profile of RNase as revealed by activity staining indicated decline in the intensities of 3–4 preexisting enzyme isoforms in embryo axes of both the rice cultivars and disappearance of one of the two isoforms in endosperms of cv. Pant-12 due to 400 μM Ni2+ treatment. Results suggest that the presence of high level of Ni2+ in the medium of germinating rice seeds serves as a stress factor resulting in decreased hydrolysis as well as delayed mobilization of endospermic RNA and protein reserves and causing imbalance in the level of biomolecules like RNA, proteins, and amino acids in growing embryo axes. These events would ultimately contribute to decreased germination of rice seeds in high Ni2+ containing environment.
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